First Pastor's Conference held at Monte de Horeb

 On March 15, we picked up Pastor Matty Ponce de Leon at the Tegus airport with excitement and anticipation as we get ready to hold the first Pastor's conference. Pastor Matty has been several times before with teams from his church in North Carolina to evangelize in communities around the Choluteca area. This time he came by himself prepared to teach, share and learn from local pastors in southern Honduras. Most of his week was spent reviewing and preparing for his conferences which would start on Friday. He also worked on campus as needed, and went out one day with us and Pastor Carlos to visit families in need of housing to see the process of how it works.

Conferences

 

Friday morning arrived and it was getting time to start the conference. As the men starting arriving we came to realize how far some had come and the time it took to get there. Two gentlemen rode 5 1/2 hours on back of trucks and buses to get here. Another man 79 years old rode his horse for 3 hours to get there. Others rode on motorcycles and taxis to get to campus.

 There were 3 main topics for the conferences that Pastor Matty was to lead.

First was "Doctrine of the Church", which included 3 one hour sessions which included topics of "Purpose of the Church", "Purity and Unity of the Church", "Power of the Church". These sessions had two translators assisting Pastor Matty, one directly translating and the other reading and writing down all the scripture references to go along with his teachings.

Second was "addictions" which included 2 sessions, "Understanding Addiction" and "Discipleship and the Addict". These sessions were focused on what the bible said about this and how the church should minister and accept people with these problems. A lot of times we as church members do not understand this but through God's word and pray, compassion for these people we can begin to understand and begin to help these people overcome their addiction. 

Third session was "Major Themes in Acts, Part 1". This was one session with a major focus on Act 1:8 - But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 

Friday night worship

Friday night after we all gather for worship, singing How Great thou Art, Remembering missionary couple Ralph and Sue Wilson who had recently past, who had had a big impact on a lot of these pastors lives over the years. The Wilsons had built most if not all the churches that the pastors currently serve at. Pastor Hector lead the message starting in Geneses 1:1-2.  Pastor Pedro and Pastor Juan led the music for the gentlemen who worshipped on Friday evening.  

 

Meal and fellowship time

One thing you can always count on at Monte de Horeb Ministry campus is good food. Ingrid our cook and her daughter prepared some delicious meals 3 times a day for our pastors while they were here. Some pastors took time in the mornings and evenings to enjoy God's blessings. Fellowship was greatly needed among pastors as most had not seen each other in over a year.

 

Final Day of Conference

Sunday morning concluded the teaching sessions and Pastor Matty went into a open discussion time with pastors. Several shared their addictions in the past and how they had come through it with the help of others and God. One said you never know because that one person struggling that you help maybe the next pastor called by God to serve HIS people. One pastor said "We need to take showers of Humility".  Pastor Matty said that "There are two things the church needs to do to meet the needs of a person with addiction". First disciple the church to understand addiction. Second they will be able to disciple the person with the addiction more affectively.

At the close of the conference the pastors talked about the next conference and topics. They were excited about October of this year for the next one. They all indicated that there WILL be more pastors here. They very much liked what was taught over the last few days and looked forward to next time. Pastor Matty had made certificates for the Pastors to remember this time. We all eat lunch and they departed to their homes.

 

Welcome Steele Creek Presbyterian Church at Pleasant Hill

 Monte de Horeb Ministries would love to welcome for the first time Steele Creek Presbyterian Church at Pleasant Hill.  Team leader, Jared, came one other time in 2019.  He had planned a trip in 2020 but due to pandemic was cancelled.  He shared if the borders had not been closed he would have come then as well.  But he got to come back this year as a team leader representing his church family and friends along with a new friend Leon.  We can praise God with Monte de Horeb Ministries because there is no limitations for the minimum amount of willing folks to come.  God's work this quarter has continued with an average size team right down to one team member or two team members which is what Jared brought this year.  We are thankful Jared and Leon joined us this year to further the Kingdom work here through Monte de Horeb Ministries.  God is totally to be glorified through all I am fixing to share with each of you reading this today.  

Jared was very happy to see Lassie as Lassie was so glad to see Jared.  There are some blessings on this first day going to the project because on Tuesday for breakfast we always have baladeas. Jared as well as Leon were very excited and thoroughly enjoyed their first breakfast at Monte de Horeb Ministries.  This was just the beginning for the fine cuisine of Honduran culture.

and said, “O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart;

1Kings 8:23

This describes Jared and Leon perfectly for their mission trip to Honduras.

Dimas, Bartolla, Oneal, Dimas Jr, Christian y Juana

God lead us down a log rocky rock to a community called Fray Lazaro, Choluteca, Honduras.  This project was about thirty minutes from the campus.  The journey was worth it for where God was taking us this week.  This team originally was suppose to go somewhere but the homeowner did not quiet have his foundation ready so hopefully later this year he and his family will receive their home as well. Upon arrival we asked permission to take a picture of the family and we got the entire family because this is what they were.  One family and they truly were one family and took great care of each other.  Dimas, the father and husband to this handsome group is very sick and I ask you to join me and others as we pray for the life of Dimas.  He goes weekly to receive Dialysis treatments and comes and goes to treatment on the back of his son's O'Neal's motorcycle into Choluteca which is about thirty more minutes from their home.  But Bartolla's grandchildren bounced right up in that picture with Bartolla and her and Dimas' children because they are just a very special and loving family to each other.

We gathered up into a circle and introduced each other and prayed up the day and week ahead and especially prayed for Dimas as he laid up in the adobe home in a hammock very sick that particular day from his Monday treatment.  Dimas' family loves him so much and it starts unfolding as the week continues of how much of a family unit they truly are and how much we all learned from them this week.

Preparing the Cornerstones of the Home

 This phase of the project has become a big part of the morning for me.  As I sat back and watch how meticulous these gentlemen are about getting this just right so the first block will be laid correctly it takes me back to the Bible and how Jesus is our Cornerstone.  In building this home the chief or head cornerstone is placed between where two of the walls of the home will go as the week progresses.  This cornerstone or block Pastor Carlos lays first will hold the entire home together and secure.  It is the rock or here the block which holds the whole structure in place.  It is the cornerstone.  The Bible says how Jesus Christ is our Chief Cornerstone of our faith.  As Jesus Christ is the Chief Cornerstone, HE ensures the stability of the whole system of  our salvation.  Jesus was and is the only plan of salvation. There is so many times here in Honduras the Bible is truly lived out and this moment of the week is always one of them.  I pray today whoever is reading this Jesus is your Chief Cornerstone, He is the Rock that holds your life together.  He is the peace, joy and contentment only He can provide.  I pray today if you do not know the Chief Cornerstone today you will decide to receive His free gift of salvation and eternal life.

Praying Over the Cornerstone

 As the mescal got mixed and everything got level, Pastor Carlos said, "Primero bloque".  Meida gathered the family together and explained how this was going to work.  They all listened intently to Meida's detailed instructions on how this moment was going to special in more ways than we all could even imagine.  Jared started praying over the cornerstone as well as lifting Dimas' family up and this house which in five days will become a beautiful home for a very beautiful family.  The Holy Spirit at this time I feel came onto this property and was glorified the entire week.  I honestly can say the words I am sharing on this blog will never ever touch the beauty of this week in Fray Lazarus.  You truly need to come yourself and experience the smell, the taste, the touch, to see the Bible living out everyday and to hear God's beauty all around each and every day.  Jarod and Leon were so very kind to tell us how blessed we are to live this day in and day out.  I looked at them and smiled to say, "I never ever take this gift from God for granted."  He chose Mike and I to be HIS hands and feet in this beautiful place we call home now but it is called Honduras.  God has blessed us here for twelve years but this quarter has been one full of joy, contentment and peace which only our God can provide and all the North American teams who continue come to serve beside us.  For this we are forever grateful to God first and all who commitment to come and smell, taste, hear, touch and see what God has waiting for each of you who come with obedience in the Chief Cornerstone Jesus Christ.

  

The Children and the People of Honduras

 The Honduran people bring true genuine sincerity to those of us who enter their lives.  Leon shared they are the most sacrificial giving people he has ever met.  If we come to Honduras with an open heart for our Lord and Savior we will experience the true joy these people live on a daily basis.  Yes they have struggles just like we do.  Theirs's are very different from ours.  For instance how are we going to get our father to the clinic for dialysis's and get his home built this week?  How are we going to provide a meal on the table for my family when I have not any work.  Where are we going to get the water for the mud to mix for the project this week?  Hydel, Pastor Pedro's twelve year old son in the corner left picture stayed home on the second day of the project to make sure his family had water for the week.  There water was being delivered on Wednesday.  He volunteered to be there for their water which will wash their clothes and their dishes and water they will shower with for one week.  This is a family of six or seven who only gets water supply for the week once a week.  Meida our precious single mother who is also our translator, our whatever we need done so she can work to feed her family and blesses every life she comes in contact with each week.  Dimas Jr. in the orange shirt came from Choluteca daily on a bus to help his parents get a home.  Their sister from Tegus came for the week to help her family wherever needed.  Actually Bartolla told me whenever Dimas Sr. goes to get his treatments all her children are home to help her with his immediate needs.  This is quiet the sacrifice for two of them who have to travel to their home of forty plus years. 

We can never say enough about these beautiful children God created in the country of Honduras.  Those beautiful brown eyes and sweet smiles will warm any ones heart.  They are most respectful of all adults.  They so wanted to be apart of the action this week instead of with the women in the kitchen area.  They would sneak out sometimes and sit from afar and watch all the work unfolding around them.  We will be glad one day when we can provide VBS again for these sweet ones and let them make a craft about their Lord and Savior.  But for now we can enjoy eating lunch or having a snack with them daily and watch them just being children.

Many Different Jobs

 I sat back on the first  day and saw so many different projects going on around me.  All this was in order to get the cornerstone in place.  Pastor Carlos worked around all the corners with his tube of water for the plumb line.  Mescal was being made in one spot.  Meida and Yobani were cutting blocks for the day ahead.  Mike was sharing some helpful tips to Jared and Leon on how the Honduran people construct a home.  I praise God for Jared as this is what he does for a living but Jared came on board ready to learn how to do the Honduran way as well as Leon.  There was not anything Leon did not try this week as you see later in this blog.  These two godly men came flexible and ready to do whatever God had called them here to do.  First and foremost is being able to be flexible in all situations.  Because in Honduras things could change at a moments notice.  This week was quiet on que for all which needed to get done.   Why?  Because God was the one in charge of all of us and we were all being obedient to HIS calling this week in Fray Lazarus, Choluteca, Honduras.  God is so so good people and HE will get done what HE wants to get done and all in HIS own timing.  Simply come ready to serve like Jared and Leon.

 

Different Phases of the Home

There is so many different aspects of building a home here in Honduras.  A home can be built in four to five days.  I am showing what happens the first three days.  God provides 800 blocks, 52 bags of cement, two doors, two windows and rebar.  The family does the foundation of their home prior to a team arriving to the first day of project.  One of the hardest jobs on building a home is mixing the mescal.  These Honduran "young" men did a phenomenal job keeping the block layers in the necessary mescal at all times.  There were times the block layers couldn't keep up with mescal crew.  God truly blessed this team this week with some hard workers from both nationalities.  

We were gathering for lunch that first day and Leon asked a very good question to Jared.  "Are we on target for where we are at the moment?"  Jared responded, "Yes sir we are and we are truly on Honduran time and God has this all the way to the end."  Leon was pleased at the progress they made each day together as one in Christ Jesus.  Everyone unified beautifully within the first two hours of the first morning.  It looked like a well greased machine where I was sitting.  It warmed my heart to see God being glorified through the power of the Holy Spirit through building a very special family a home.  Please remember this was not the home we were suppose to build this week.  But as Jared and Leon realized as each day passed us by this was the one God picked out especially for them.  Our God is so good all the time and all the time our God is so good.  He always knows what is best for His children.  Well done all good and faithful servants of God this week.

 

Enjoying Monte de Horeb Ministries Campus

 Everyone who comes through the gates of Monte de Horeb enjoys all the many things it offers to each of them.  Everyone's desires are very different but hopefully there is something here for everyone.  On Wednesday morning Jared asked could he please cook breakfast which was Honduran pancakes.  The two gentlemen ate with our staff each morning prior to going to the project.  Ingrid prepared typical Honduran breakfast each morning, nothing out of the ordinary.  Jared and Leon ate what the staff ate and with lots of joy and full stomachs.  The Honduran coffee of course was a big hit each morning as they climbed up the hill to enter the multi-purpose building to smell the delicious aroma of Honduran coffee brewing.  Each evening we gathered on North American porch for evening devotionals.  Mike and I had the privilege to participate in devotionals this week.  We all were truly blessed by sharing in God's Word in the beauty of His creation.  One day they got a special treat prior to devotionals, coconut water for their pleasure.  We enjoyed our times with these two gentlemen simply chatting and sharing our faith walks with each other.  Something sometimes back home in North American culture does not happen because of the busyness of our lives.  It is beautiful to stop and be still and be in the presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and baste in his beauty.

The Living Water

 There was Honduran coffee each morning for every man who so desired during our mid morning break.  Yum Yum as it went down. But during the project Leon, Meida and Jared (not picture) was diligent about keeping folks hydrated.  Our motto here is you are thirsty the Hondurans are thirsty as well.  So everyone stayed hydrated this week by some great folks.  Just as physical water is of most importance here in Honduras, different heat index especially coming from thirty degree weather, so is God's living water found only in Jesus Christ.  If anyone is thirsty please come to Jesus for a quenching of your thirst which only came come with an acceptance of Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and to be filled with the Holy Spirit.  Similar to the woman at the well who ask for the living water only Jesus could give her, you can ask for this gift as well.  Living water where you will never thirst again no matter how hot Honduras is, if you got this Living Water living within you God can do amazing and beautiful acts through you.  As we all saw this week through Jared and Leon and their new friends in Honduras.  This blessing of relationship the five days we were there was worth all the heat we all endured.  Words cannot describe the beauty through the heat of this week because they were filled with the "Living Water".

The Peaceful Porch

This week was one of finding God's true peace right up there in the middle of a very rural and rugged village.  The roads were rough and the terrain was rough as well on the project.  But when it came time to break bread or should I say tortillas each day at noon everyone headed to the front porch of the home of O'Neal.  He was most gracious to open up his home to us this week as we pretty much took up his entire front porch.  It was maybe the second day at lunch Jared shared I feel such peace sitting here on this front porch, the "Peaceful Porch" became the name the rest of the week.  I have to totally agree with Jared how relaxing and comforting this dirt floor porch was looking out over the property of this family.  It didn't hurt to mention all those delicious Honduran cuisine we enjoyed each day, chicken and rice, Honduran chop suey, fish soup, and  chicken soup which always included tortillas and a very cold coke to top off the meals.  Please understand around ten each morning there was a "small" snack provided which one day was rice pudding, beans and eggs with tortillas and my all time favorite balaedas.  They blessed us all more than they would ever know.  Thank you Bartolla, Marie and ladies who cooked pretty much all morning for those men and me of course.  We never went back to the campus hungry for we were over flowing with physical nourishment and spiritual nourishment.  This was definitely several Bible stories from God's Word,  Those ladies took what they had and multiplied it to feed around twenty five people a day.  They gave to us sacrificially and for this we were beyond blessed each day.  Plus each day we truly felt we were in the presence of our Lord and Savior on the "Peaceful" porch.  

 We cannot go without saying the new item on the menu at Monte de Horeb Ministries is pupusas.  Yes Ingrid is the queen of pupusas.  This delicious morning delight is a blessing to anyone's morning prior to going out to work for the Lord.  We can honestly say not anyone who comes here leaves here not full to overflowing with good Honduran food and fellowship.  Thank you God for all your provisions this new year!!!!

Providing Rocks for the Fifth Course

 Everyone pitched this morning to find just the right size of rocks to put in for the fifth course.  I mean everyone, even those two precious children wanted to help out their grandparents to get a home.  I have never saw the energy put into one project before.  There was half of the folks on this project collecting buckets of rocks and pouring them into the holes.  This is a beautiful example of working together for the Kingdom in one accord.  One person started picking up the rocks, then the next thing I knew someone else grabbed a bucket and starting filling it up to overflowing and on and on the bucket brigade continued to this job was completed.   Only to lead them to yet other projects to get those 800 blocks into a home.  Amen y amen!!!!

Hydel

 Hydel was the son of Pastor Pedro.  He is twelve years old and wants to learn all he can about building a home.  He worked all over the project.  He especially liked working with Cristobal.  Cristobal was like his teacher and he loved and respected Cristobal for taking a lot of time with him.  Mr. Mike taught him how to clean a blade on the chain saw and he also helped Mr. Mike and Leon cut up a tree.  But there was times when he just had to be a twelve year old Honduran boy.  There was a five gallon bucket full of minnows which is what they used to mix the mescal and for some reason that got Hydel's full attention.  On the first day I heard Marie, his mother, call him over and then he got to missing on the job site.  I finally asked Meida where is Hydel.  Meida shared his mother sent him down to a pulperia to buy two cokes for snack that morning and lunch later.   This child was gone walking about an hour as he and one of the children came strolling back up the dirt road with two cokes on their shoulders laughing and talking all the way.  One day I went to the restroom first thing when I arrived at the project.  In a hammock with another child was Hydel watching t.v. cartoons.  It did my heart good to be able to see him just simply be a child for a few minutes.  The children down here have responsibilities within their families at early ages to help their family get through a day.  As I shared earlier in a blog he stayed home on the second day to make sure his family had water for the week.  I was blessed each day Hydel was on the project watching how hard he worked for a twelve year old boy and see him doing with a godly spirit.  His parents were raising a very godly young man who hopefully will one day serve His Lord just like his father, Pastor Pedro.  Thank you Hydel for the example you set for all of  us.

Lead by Example

 My husband, Mike and Pastor Carlos have been working together since the day we purchased Monte de Horeb Ministries.  Pastor Carlos and a few other pastors were who named the ministry campus.  Mike and Pastor Carlos worked so well together you definitely know it is all from God.  Their flow and unity is heart warming to watch and is humbling as well.  Yes this man, Mike is my husband but when you put him and Pastor Carlos together God radiates the area.  Are they perfect by no means.  Biblically there only one perfect one and that is Jesus Christ.  Is Jesus Christ their example for life by all means yes.  God has taken this two and put them together and used them together for the further of His Kingdom work.  God of course did a phenomenal job picking out exactly who He wanted to take care of  Monte de Horeb Ministries.  First and foremost I give all the glory for putting these two godly men together about eight years ago.

Totally Trust in God

 Words cannot describe this moment where Dimas' family, his new very best friend, Pastor Pedro and all of his family, Jared, Leon, Pastor Carlos, Yobani, Cristobal, Meida, Mike and I walked from the project after another sacrificial snack from the ladies to the adobe house where Dimas was lying in a hammock weak as water with not even an expression on his face.  It was like a blank look and just pure pain in his weak eyes.  Everyone who could laid a hand on the adobe home to pray over this man and his fragile life this side of heaven.  Mike asked Pastor Carlos to pray first and anyone else who wanted to pray could then Pastor Pedro will close the prayers.  It was not until Pastor Pedro prayed did it get personal.  I could not totally understand all Pastor Pedro's words but knew the Holy Spirit was in this place.  His words were of compassion and true love for his new friend of only one year.  Pastor Pedro has been a friend for Dimas in a way which Jesus would be a friend to you or me.  He gave his all to Dimas and his family once he realized how bad Dimas' living conditions were and how bad his health is.  This is exactly what Jesus Christ can do for us if we only receive Him, reach out to Him and rejoice in Him for all He can and will do for us as believers in Jesus Christ, God's only Son.  As Pastor Pedro continue his prayers I could hear prayers from others as well in the name of Jesus with tears flowing for healing for this man's body.  Healing which only can come from God.  You see folks when these people pray the "the Lord's Prayer"  they are sincerely asking for all their immediate needs, their daily bread, keep us from evil and God's power is what they always pray for.  Pastor Pedro's favorite word is contentment.  He will always ask me Ginger are you content today?  What a profound question for all of us?  Today are you content in your life, in your relationship with Jesus Christ and this world we all live in.  We all can be if we allow Jesus to work in and through our lives.  On the top of this hill in front of the broken adobe home (which fell in on Friday one week later, thank you Steele Creek for being obedient to the calling of this home) I and I am sure along with everyone else felt total contentment in the midst of such sadness.  God has Dimas' life in the palm of His hands.  So pray along with us and Pastor Pedro for this man's life to be comfortable and content until God decides to take him home.

Disaster Relief in Honduras

 Mike's many years of disaster relief truly paid off this week in Fray Lazarus.  When we arrived the first day there sat this forty year old tree laid over on the back side of the property. Of course Mike's disaster relief blood kicked in and said on the second day he was going to take the chain saw out to the project to see what he could do to clean up the property for Dimas and his family.  Mike shared with Pastor Carlos he would not take away from the construction of the home.  Pastor Carlos said, "No problem"  Two famous words which part Pastor Carlos' lips quiet often with us and our North American families who could here to serve beside us.  In other words it is not eternal.  

Mike did cause one small problem and it was not any doings of Mike but his project caught a lot of attention.  There was a lot of on lookers from the construction of the home.  The mescal crew was on a fast and steady roll of getting mescal to the block layers until Mike cranked up the chain saw and started cutting.  I got tickled at Cristian especially, he literally quit mixing the mescal because he was so in awe of what Mike was doing and as I type this I realize maybe just maybe he had not ever seen a chain saw or a North American man cutting down a tree.  His only knowledge is using a machete and that would have taken this dear family years to get this tree taken off the property. 

Leon decided this was the job for him once Mike started cutting and moving limbs.  Leon also saw the need to pick up the trash laying around the grounds of the property.  Thank you Leon for teaching humbly how to keep your property clean without words, only your servant actions were enough.  Here comes Meida to help Leon move the limbs to an embankment behind the property.  All morning the three of them worked very hard and decided the next day to bring rakes to clean up the small debris they could not carry off by hand.  Somehow the next day they never got to rake because Mike got deeper into his project when O'Neal came over sharing with Mike he wanted planks made out of the tree to put up dividers in his home and his mother and father's home.  So Mike started yet another project as Leon was right by his side along with Hydel.  This was quiet the tedious job but with God's help Mike, Leon and Hydel got a lot of it cut this day, but did not get to the raking.  We arrived the next morning to start again and clean up around the debris with the rakes we brought the day before to see Dimas Jr. O'Neal and Cristian had already removed all the trash and had raked up the debris.  God is so good and all the time God is so good!!!!  This sweet and giving family with all they have give it their all for their parents.  I shared with Bartola how special her family was and how they are a very strong family unit.  She shared back she was so blessed to have good children.  Out of that wood cutting came some seats and benches as well.  O'Neal was so thankful to Mike, Leon and Meida, along with Hydel once in a while for all they did in this corner which now is 100% improved than before.

Dimas' home is almost ready

 All of God's servants continued with their task at hand.  A new home where Dimas' and Bartola, Juana and Cristian will not ever get wet again.  Actually O'Neal and his family will benefit as well.  O'Neal's home is adobe as well with a terracotta roof which also leaks when it rains.  So more than four people will benefit from this gift from God.  Meida finally answered a question for me which I had wondered about for a very long time.  There is so many more homes just like Dimas' where there is holes everywhere.  I finally simply asked Meida or maybe Meida shared with me O'Neal told her during rainy season they all gather into O'Neal's home and find the one spot where it is try and sleep standing up.  I had no words to say to this statement.  Thank you God for the hard work this week to allow one more family to be dry during rainy season.  There is so much more about building a 19x 25 mansion in Honduras we do not even know about.  I have been working here for twelve years and everyday I learn something new and become humble more and more with the very smallest of things I still take for granted.  We are all blessed today who is reading.